Traffic signal



W. B. MGGILL TRAFFIC- SIGNAL May 12, 1931.

Filed Oct 1e. 1929 2 Sheets-Shet 1' W. B. M GILL TRAFFIC SIGNAL May 12, 1-931.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 16, 1929 I Huh HHHHH Patented May' 12, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE WILLIAM B. MOGILL, OE DORMONT, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIG -NOR TO NEON SIGNAL DE- VICES, INC., PITTSBURGH; PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA L Tau-r SIGNAL Application filed October 16, 1929. Serial No. 399.979.

My invention relates to signals ii'ntmr ling and directing traflic, and one embodiment thereof is designed particularly for the ,warning of vehicles and pedestrians approaching an arterial highway or boulevard.

Although numerous forms and modlfications of warning devices and traffic signals have been suggested, the problem of control-- ling trafiic so as to avoid.the ever increasing number of disastrous accidents is yet unsolved. I have solved this problem by providing a signal for intersections of branching highways with boulevards, such that the traffic approaching the through thoroughfare will be positively warned of that fact so that proper precautions may be taken.

In order to accomplish this result, I employ a luminous tubeto which I give the shape of the letters of a word of warning as Stop. I also provide an auxiliary indication in the form of astencil plate, which is adapted to be illuminated by the luminous tube. In

order to make the latter more effective, I form letters on the stencil plate for c ooper- .ating therewith. I also make provlsion for illuminating the outline of the signal housing so as to afford a more commanding signal w rning. Other novel features contemplated y my invention include improvements in thedesign and construction of the signal housing, the closure means therefore, and means for limiting the intensity of illumination of thesignal so as to avoid unnecessary. annoyance to pedestrians and residents ofthe neighborhood in which the signal is located. The invention willbe fully described in connection withthe accompanying drawings illustrating a present preferred embodiment thereof, and novel features thereof will be pointed out, definitely-in the appended claims. The embodiment herein described Is in nowise to limit the scope of the invention which is defined solely by the claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a front elevational view of one I embodiment of my invention;

Figure2 is a'similar view with the signal housing closure opened;

Figure 3 is asection along the plane of ed thereto.

of the recess 22 is less than the thickness of the a window 23. The purpose of this arrange- Referring in detail to the drawings, and v particularly to Figs. 1 through 3, the illustrated embodiment of my invention consists of a hemispherical sheet-metal housing 10. A back casting llis suitably formed to re ceive the housing 10 and is provided with depending lugs 12 for supporting-the housing. The housing 10 is secured to the back casting 11 by means of a clamping plate 13 and a. nipple 14 on which clamping nuts 15 are threaded. The nipple 14 also provides a conduit for the entrance of electrical connections to the luminous tube for illuminating the housing, as will be described later.

The housing 10 is rovided with lugs 16 which afford a hinged support for a closure 17 for the front wall of the housing. This closure consists of a rim 18 having rearwardly extending lugs 19 for cooperating with the lugs 16. A hinge pin 20, serves to provide a pivotal support for the closure 17. The rim 18 has an annular groove 21 whichreceives the edge of the housing 10, a gasket being placed within the groove to form a water-tight joint. I

A recess 22 is formed in the rim 18, and a glass window 23 is seated therein and cement- It will be observed that the depth ment vwillbe pointed out hereinafter. A stenc1l plate 24, bearing indicia-forming cutouts 25, is secured to the rim 18 by screws 26.

The plate 24 does not engage the window 23 directly, but is spaced therefrom by means of rangement permits the drainage .of rain water from behind the stencil plate 24.

A shoulder 28 is formed in the housing 10 to receive a partition wall 29. The wall is secured in place by means of retaining lugs 30, but may be removed by a slight rotation so spacing collars 27 on the screws 26. This arthat cutouts 31 in the wall are alined with the lugs 30. In order to provide a close fit of the wall in the shoulder, the former may be pressed out slightly as at 32, so that it engages the lugs 30 tightly. Handles 33 facilitate manipulation of the partition wall 29. I

On the front face of the wall, a luminous tube 34 is supported behind appropriate cutouts in the stencil plate '24. The tube 34 is formed into a traflic warning word, such as Stop,the portions of the tube between the letters being obscured by blocking-out pai t applied to the front surface of the tube only, as Indicated at 35. The cutouts in the stencil plate 24 also serve to isolate the portions of" the tube behind the letters of the stencil plate. Prism reflectors 36 are secured to the housing 10 above and below the luminous tube 34 by means of clips 37 on the partition wall 29. These reflectors direct light from the luminous tube 34 outwardly of the housing 10 through the cutouts 25 in the stencil plate 24. By reason of the thickness of the window 23 relative to the depth of the recess 22, in which it is seated, a certain amount of light passes by internal reflection in the window 23 to the space 18a between the outer edge of the stencil plate 24 and the inner edge of the flange on the rim 18. This reflected light provides an illuminated outline for the signal housing and greatly increases its visibility and effectiveness in controlling traffic. The luminous tube gives a positive and commanding direction which stands out even in daylight,'and, as a result, the necessity of exercising proper Iprecautions is more emphatically brought ome to the motorist and pedestrian.

The partition wall29 also serves as a support for a motor driven flasher 38 and a transormer 39 for supplying current of suitable voltage to the luminous tube 34; If a steady indication is desired, the flasher 38 may be omitted, but it is generally found that an intermittent flashing signal produces better results thana warning sign illuminated constantly.

The si nal housing 10 may be supported by means 0 the lugs 12 on a laterally-extending rod 40, which may be attached to any type of support. Since the signal is generally mounted along arterial highways or streets at the curb, I prefer to employ a clamp 41 for supporting the housing 10 and rod 40 from a vertical support such as a telephone or telegraph pole 42. The clamp 41 consists of three members, 43, 44, and 45. The members 43 and 45 are merely semi-circular clamping straps, while the member .44 is an integral double-face clamp which has a face 46 for engaging a vertical support, such as the post 42, and a face 47 for engaging a laterallyextending support, such as the rod 40. The housing 10 may be supported on the post 42 by applying clamping members 43 and 44 to the latter and then clamping the rod 40 bebe chosen so that the "the luminous tube will be confined to a certween the clamping strap 45 and the face 47 of the clamping member 44.

In Figures 2 and 4, the details of the mech anism provided for maintaining the closure housing. A staple 55 on the housing 10 permits the handle 52 to be secured thereto by means of a padlock 56,- for example.

When the traflic-controlling signal herein described is to'be mounted in residential districts it will be desirable to limit the intensity of illumination thereof to prevent an-- noyance to occupants of nearby residences by reason of an unnecessarily bright illumination. I provide means in the form of verti cally-extending angularly-disposed louvres 60 (Fig. 5) to prevent the emission of direct rays from the signal, except onto the highway. These louvres 60 are integral with a frame 61, which is secured to the rim'18 of the closure 17 between the window 23 and the luminous tube 34. The louvres are simply strip-like slats extending vertically in 'the -1ousing l0 and bent at a slight angle to the axis thereof. They may be formed integral with the plate 61, as stated, or they may be formed separately and secured thereto either rigidly or adj ustably after the manner of the ordinary window shutter. The louvres are given a dull reflecting surface such as is provided by a coat of. aluminum paint. The angle at which the louvres 60 are disposed may direct light radiated by tain area and so that the signal will be visible from other order to assist this restricting and confining action on the light rays, I may utilize half channels 62 (Fig. 6) conforming to the shape of the letters of the stencil plate. These channels tend to reflect the light into the area where it is desired and to prevent its being directed toward other points. The louvres and channels do not prevent the signal from being seen from the sides of the street so that its effect in warning pedestrians is not diminished. Direct rays from the luminous tube are, however, confined to the motor traflic lanes and do not cause annoyance to residents in the vicinity.

Figures 7 and 8 illustrate a modified form of locking device for the closure 17. The handle 52 of the arm 51 has its outer end turned at right angles for cooperation with a rotatable stud 64 having a wing 65. The stud 64 is secured to the housing 10 and when points only by reflected light. In 3 T at right angles, as shown in Fig. 8, the handle 52 may be retracted and the closure 17 opened. Cam faces may be formed on cooperating surfaces of the handle 52 and the Wing 65 to aid in clamping the closure tightly to the housing. A number of advantages characterize the signal herein described and render it an out.-

standing improvement over similar devices known in the prior art. In the P first place, the luminous tubetype of sign is well known to be much more efiective and readily visible than sig'nsill v candescent lamps. The current consiifilpt n of this type of sign is much less than the candescent lamp type, and its. trol a wpulation involves no speci h arning signal utilizes not.o y'th ed by the luminous tube;

forming a frame for the signal,

The housing is'a unitary by reason of the gasket-betwe rim 18, a water-tight structure the window 23 being tightly ce rim 18. Inaddition to the foregoin tages, I have provided means thezone of maximum intensity tion of the signal 'to avoid un noyance and have disclosed sev ments in the structure of the ing. Among. these,.may be note that a strong and rigid struct vided by clamping thehousingri; the back casting 11 and the 'la. 13; Thehousing 16 may be adj'lf or'p sition in every direction. In casg thefsuppor saidcutouts and conforming thereto in shape, adapted to illuminate the latter by direct light, of reflecting means in the housing for lluminating others of said cutouts by light radiated from said tube and reflected through said cutouts by said means.

2. In a traflicsignal, the combination with a housing, one wall thereof having cutouts forming traific directions, a luminescent tube conforming in shape to certain of said cutouts, of means for reflecting a portion of the light radiated by said tube through others of said cutouts. i y

3. A signal device comprising a housing having a light source therein, a cover therefor including a rim having a recess therein, and; a glass plate of thickness greater than the depth of said recess cemented therein, and ,a stencil plate secured to said rim in spaced {relation to said glass plate.

" 4. A signal device comprising a housing having a light source therein, a cover therefor .a glass plate of thickness greater than the epth of said recess cemented therein, and a tencil plate secured to said rim.

5. An indicia-bearing cover for a sign 1- housing containing a light source including a im secured-to the housing, a glass plate he plate extends beyond the adjacent edge of he rim, and a stencil plate overlying said glass plate. 6 A signal device comprising a housing, a ransparent wall therefor and indicia-formng meanscooperating therewith, a light I ource in said housing and a series of louvres between said source and said means for preenting transmission of light .rays in predeermined directions, and light-directing eans on said indicia-forming means. 7. A signal housing including a rim, a ransparency therein, and a stencil overlying he transparency and having its face and edge paced from said rim. n

8. A. signal housing having a rim and a ing pole 42 is'not absolutely vertical, the stencil positioned over an opening therein,

housing lOmay be rotated axially about the nipple 14. In addition, the housln 10 'may be adjustedabout theaxis of the tu e 40 and also about the axis of the pole 42. The hous- "ing may also be shifted vertically of the pole 42and laterally of the. tube 40, so that it may be properly positionedfor any particular in- 1. In a traflic.signal,the combination with a housin a cover for the housing having I i I 0' cut-outsthereln forming trafiic directions, a

- luminous tube disposed adjacent certain of said stencil having its edges spaced inwardly of said rim to provide a luminous outline for said signal. w

9. A. signal housing including a rim having an annular recess, a stencil shaped to fit in said rim and dimensioned to leave a peripheral space between said rim and the stencil.

10. A sign -including a housing, a stencil therefor having a plurality of indicia, aluminous tube behind said stencil conforming in shapeto'certain of said indicia, and means for illuminatingthe other indiciaby light reflected from said tube.

11. In a sign, the combination with a hous withinthe housing adjacent certain of said including a rim having a recess therein, and

minted in said rim so that the surface of.

ing, stencil cutouts in one wall of the housing forming sign characters, of a lumlnous tubecutouts and conforming thereto in shape, for illuminating said last mentioned cutouts by direct rays and the other cutouts by reflected rays.

12. In a sign, a housing having one-wall provided with light-transmitting sign characters, a luminous tube within the housing adjacent said-characters and conforming in shape to some of them to illuminate them by direct rays, and means for reflecting light from the'tube through the other characters.

13; The combination in a sign, with a housing having a wall provided with light-transmltting sign characters, of a distributed light 15 source conforming in shape to said characters and closely adjacent thereto, and parallel louvers between the source and the character for intercepting the diffuse rays from s a source without obstructing the rays emanpt p",;'fg ing therefrom substantially perpendiculazpwu said wall. 1-? j "v 14. The combination, in an illumina' c '7 i sign, with a housing havin an open v; 1 v closed by atrans arency, and a stencil pl, 1

25 having a plurahty 'of indicia cut therfuig,

overlying said transparency, of aluminml": J" tube in said housing adjacent one of s indicia and conforming thereto in out V iand means for illuminating the other ind" by light emitted from said tube.

I 15. In a sign, the combination with a tributed light source such as a lumin f tube, and a stencil plate having cut therein, of vertical louvers between 35 source and said plate to prevent the blu illumination of said cutouts by diffused r and to limit the zone of visibilityther 4 In testimony whereof I have hereunto f 

